Students focus camera lens on bullying

Lights, camera, action

Photo by Roger Belgrave

St. Roch Catholic Secondary School students (from left) Darien Boodan, Tristan Clarke, Alyssia Jovellanos and Martin Ciesielski-Listwan produced a 45-second video the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is using as part of its boardwide anti-bullying campaign.

The spotlight was on bullying in schools throughout Peel region this week.
Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week in Ontario schools runs from Nov. 18-24. At the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, students at Brampton’s St. Roch Catholic Secondary School focused the lens of a video camera on the subject as part of the board’s anti-bullying campaign.
They filmed and edited a 45-second video featuring students and board staff telling viewers “you” are the key to stop bullying.
The video was shown at all schools as part of the launch to Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week and is posted on the board’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebKx5C_cMp4.
“We all have the power to stop bullying,” said 16-year-old Darien Boodan, one of the students who worked on the project.
Video can be a perfect medium for conveying an idea, noted 16-year-old Alyssia Jovellanos, who believes there is no ambiguity in this audio/visual message.
“You really can’t misunderstand the message the way we present it,” she said.
Students and staff from St. Roch and the nearby elementary school Guardian Angels are featured in the video, along with a parish priest and the school board director. All deliver the message that “only you can stop bullying” and suggestions for taking action.
From simply listening to telling someone who can help— the video encourages viewers to make a difference for victims and themselves.
Students in the school’s media communications arts program filmed and edited the footage and sound. The video was shot based on an outline produced by the board’s communications and community relations department.
“It was a lot of add on work for all of them,” said teacher Peter Fujiwara, who is proud of the work his students were able to accomplish in about a week.
The project was a great experience and a worthy cause the Grade 11 students agreed. It was fun, but bullying is a serious subject, said 16-year-old Tristan Clarke, who has some first-hand experience as a victim.
He was particularly inspired by the message that putting an end to bullying is as simple as individuals speaking out and choosing to be more than a bystander.
“I really like how it addresses that everyone can play a part,” remarked Jovellanos.
The board also launched an anti-bullying poster campaign this week. A series of posters, promoting the message “Stand Up Against Bullying” and the scripture verse “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you— John 14:27”, was created by students from various schools. The posters are being distributed to all schools.
An anti-bullying pilot project, which allows students to report incidents of bullying online, is also being initiated at a select number of elementary and secondary schools. If it proves a useful tool, board officials said, it would be expanded to all schools.
“Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week gives us another platform in which to promote positive messages, not only to our students, but beyond the walls of our schools as well,” said Education Director John Kostoff.